Have you ever wondered what could happen if marijuana was legalized? There are many laws in the United States that make this drug illegal to use and possess. However, if this was legal the number of arrests would decrease and it could help that state increase revenue. This product is currently sold without any taxes and no regulations on how strong the drug should be. The people and states are not benefiting from having this drug sold on the streets. By making this drug legal it could help to decrease the number of people who purchase this drug illegally to help with a medical issue.
Free markets are an interest concept of what can happen when there are not government controls in place or the controls are not working the way it was supposed to. One of the markets that needs to be addressed would be marijuana. The current regulations that are in place in most States show that this drug is illegal and can place a person in jail for having it in their possession. In the United States 643,121 people were arrested in 2015 for breaking the marijuana law, of this number 89 percent of these people were only in possession of the drug. The person was not trying to sell it but it was for their own use. The annual cost to fight the war on drugs is $51,000,000,000. By legalizing marijuana, it would help to free up space in the penitentiaries and the amount of money spent to fight the war on this drug would help decrease the overall yearly budget. The money that is saved on this expenditure could be used in a different way to help better the communities and the country overall (Drug Policy Alliance, 2017).
Marijuana has medical benefits that cannot be used due to the risk of being put in jail for possession. This drug can be used to treat different eating disorders. This is due to the drugs effect on increasing the person’s appetite. Another medical use for this drug is for pain management. This could help people that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, spinal injuries, and nerve pain. Other diseases that this drug could treat would be Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, migraines, and cancer (Medicaljane.com, 2017). By offering this as an alternative to other medicines, patients could save a little bit of money. Treating some
Legalizing marijuana will provide an increase in our economy. The first step is that the government needs to stop copiously funding the war on drugs. Over the past four decades, federal and state governments have poured over one trillion dollars into drug war spending. I will admit that the government should keep running advertisements that persuade youths from using methamphetamines, crack-cocaine, and heroine. However, when money is being thrown away by the government trying to convince people that smoking pot is bad for a consumers’ health, that is a sign a change must occur.
Another positive aspect for legalizing the use of marijuana is it would significantly decrease the number of marijuana-related arrests and imprisonments in the United States. Police and court resources would be freed up for more serious crimes. More than 200,000 individuals are incarcerated each year for marijuana possession, as part of the U.S. government's War on Drugs. Decriminalizing marijuana would also eliminate much of the crime associated with the illegal sale and trafficking of marijuana. Moreover, several states allow legal use of marijuana when prescribed by a physician, yet thousands of dispensary owners and patients are arrested every year by the federal government. Legalizing marijuana could bring in more revenue for states, as well as help individuals receive care who may be unable to receive it otherwise. (marijuana today.com). If marijuana was legalized the cost on prosecuting offenders would decrease dramatically. Many consider the War on Drugs an expensive
The time and money being used to help fight marijuana has proved to be an unsuccessful cost and could be used in more beneficial uses like education or fighting violent crime. By legalizing marijuana the government would be able to save about $7.7 billion a year (geekpolitics). Not only would law enforcement costs be cut by legalizing marijuana but the government would also receive an increase in tax revenue. If marijuana would be legal it would be sold in the same method as alcohol and cigarettes. This method would allow the government to keep a close watch on the production of the marijuana and control the business cycle of the drug (geek). The legal marijuana would be taxed in the same ways as cigarettes and alcohol and the companies who would produce the product would also be taxed. Licenses for the sale of the legal marijuana would also be applied which would allow tight restrictions on the sale of the drug as well as provide safety.
This action would also free up multi-millions of dollars that are being spent on the imprisonment of nonviolent drug offenders. Such a shift in laws and policy would lift a huge burden off the penal system and allow for the money to be spent on positive things, such as rehab or other treatment programs. Instead of punishing users of marijuana, the money could be focused on people who are addicted to cocaine or other hard drugs. With less people in jail for cannabis related charges, the prisons would be relieved from having overcrowded inmate populations and would be able to give their undivided attention to serious criminals, such as sex offenders, arsonist, murderers and other felony type charges. The legalization of weed can impact crime by reducing crime rates and drug related death
Since using and buying marijuana is illegal people that safely smoke this drug must deal with criminals on the black market. This increases the danger of violence against buyers and brings corruption on our city streets. People are not going to tell the police if a dealer robs them or causes physical harm. Consequently, without government regulations and control marijuana bought on the street could also cause bring harm to the person smoking the drug. Another key point is dealers can lace the drug with synthetic materials that are not safe for humans. Money that is made on the black market is probably never reported as income and dealers become rich without the burden of paying taxes. This in turn puts more of a burden on law abiding taxpayers to pay for services provided by the
Marijuana is the cause of much commotion and debating, as the question of legalization becomes more of an issue. Drugs are a major influential force in countries all over the world today. Legalization is an option that has not had a chance, but really should be given one. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of drug use, legalization would benefit for the following reasons: 1)reduction of money spent on law enforcement 2)increase in the countries revenue 3)lessen crime 4)useful in treating certain medical conditions.
The Detroit Free Press Editorial Board’s Article Let the people decide about legalizing marijuana(2016) was an attempt to convince readers that Michigan Legislature is currently a “dysfunctional waste,” determined to keep Marijuana legalization off the ballots.The Press got their opinion across by using uncredited polls, tugging at the reader's emotions when describing both parties, and overall biased tone with underlying motives. The author uses pathos, ethos, and logos very effectively when trying to persuade the reader. Pathos is being used when the author attempts to appeal to our emotions while trying to pity MILegalize. Logos is being used when the authors tries to connect with our common sense in order to persuade by reason. Lastly ethos is being used when the author attempts to sway our opinion of michigan legislature, but altering our view of their character and morals.This article was written with intentions to get voters riled up, discredit the michigan legislature and provoke change within the court systems. The Editorial Board only presented their side of the argument, concluding they are targeting left-wing moderates that are for the legalization of marijuana.
Using marijuana for medicinal purposes is something that can be dated back thousands and thousands of years, and is not anything new. Much of western medicine embraced the positive medical properties by the beginning of the twentieth century. Many physicians had published many papers recommending its use for a variety of disorders. These include pain relief, seizure disorders, nausea, epilepsy, glaucoma, and movement disorders. It is also used as an appetite stimulant which helps
Marijuana has often been compared with alcohol, which also have harmful contents but is being allowed to be marketed all over the country. “If the government could legalize it, then it can derive huge revenues from the taxes and sales derived from marijuana”, (Gerber & Sperling, 2004). As it stands now, it is illegal. So the ones who benefit from the marijuana trade are the black market and organized criminals (Gerber & Sperling, 2004).It is in the Government and the United States best interest to legalize marijuana because it will not only cure it’s people but also bring a lot of money into the U.S’s
If Marijuana were to be completely legalized, then the demand would increase, but so would the supply. Normal retail stores would make it available without usage being encouraged, but all purchases made would be directly funded to the government, in which new schools and programs can be started. If it is now being sold within reach of civilians, drug cartels and drug trafficking would no longer exist. It would also be more available for medical usage for anyone who can’t afford going to a doctor to be prescribed. This way it would be safer as well, with drug trafficking a 9-year-old kid could get his hands on Marijuana, but now users would have to have proof of age to be able to purchase Marijuana. Dosages would only be large enough to support health, but not to alter minds, or lower mental health. A legal way of retail selling Marijuana would be better than selling it illegally, it could reduce the use of the drug throughout teenagers specifically, and even the rest of the
If marijuana were legal, it would also bring a significant source of revenue to the United States. A lot of money currently is spent on drugs, and most of it goes to illegal operators outside of the country. If legalized, the pot revenue would go to Americans. In the current economic climate, this would definitely be welcome. A tax could also be put on the drug, and the companies that grew and possessed the plants would have to pay income taxes to the government. It is possible for marijuana to become one of the number one cash crops in though whole country. And with all the people who would smoke it, or use it in other ways, it could quickly become one of the main stimulators in our economy.
Today in America, a person’s socioeconomic status is dependent on a multitude of complex factors, many of which are beyond one’s control. It is alarming to think that so many people may not be fully in control of such an important aspect of their lives. Perhaps one of the most important factors affecting the financial condition of a person is how many programs are put in place by the government to protect their livelihoods, or how willing the government is to forgive and reform, rather than punish. In a way it makes sense that a more forgiving society would be more beneficial for all involved, as its main purpose would be protecting and ensuring the happiness of all its citizens. By allotting much more freedom to the average citizen, and being more progressive, a more liberal government would lower crime and poverty rates throughout the country.
Did you know that the real reason marijuana was made illegal had nothing to do with it being a violent drug? For example in the 1900’s marijuana was known as the plant called “hemp”. Hemp was used for many different things such as making rope, cloth, twine, paper, and also medical reasons. In the 1930’s the Ford Motor Company operated a successful biomass fuel conversion plant using cellulose at Iron Mountain, Michigan. Due to it being such a resourceful plant, the government knew they would soon be out of many jobs because everyone was turning to the hemp plant for almost everything they used. Although many people believe legalizing marijuana in America is a bad idea due to it being a gateway drug, legalizing marijuana would open up space in prisons, not only save the United States money but also bring in a lot more money as well and the crime rate would decrease to a certain extent.
To all the cancer patients or people with AIDS, marijuana has made all the nausea and appetite loss go away. The seed alone is only second to the soybean in nutritional value, with all its source of vitamins. For hundreds of years, the plant was used to produce our paper and clothes, and it is capable of producing four times the fiber than that of trees. I believe that the legalization of marijuana in The United States should happen, mainly for the use of medical usage. Many people will argue that it is only used for recreational use, but its oils have been used to help people with severe seizures or with constant pain. If marijuana was made legal it could be used to save so many lives. My goal with this paper is to reduce the ignorance and prejudice that marijuana gets, and inform the people of all the known and potential uses.
Marijuana, a popular drug, has taken over Colorado and is debatable in whether it was a good idea to legalize it. The legalization of marijuana happened in 2012 and since then “more than $15 million in taxes and fees have been raised from sales” (Christian Century). The recreational stores will sell to anyone 21 years of age or older, needing to show a driver’s license or passport for proof, not being important if they’re tourists or residents (Coloradopotguide). Legalizing marijuana, fortunately, came with new laws. One law is Amendment 64 in which it “...does NOT permit the consumption of marijuana “openly and publicly” (Coloradopotguide). But since Colorado gave the free pass of recreational use of marijuana in 2012, not only did it come with new laws, but it also came with more reason to argue that legalizing the drug was a big mistake. Since its legalization, there have been moments where it has affected youths and adults in different ways.